Downingtown teachers deal ratified

EAST CALN — The Downingtown Area Educators Association and the school district board ratified a four-year contract on Wednesday, ending more than two years of negotiations.

Until the ratification, union members were working under the terms of the previous contract, which expired on Aug. 31, 2011.

The association and the school board voted separately on Wednesday. The school board’s board was unanimous, 8-0, with board member Thomas Ost-Prisco absent. The association’s vote was cast anonymously throughout the day.

“We are pleased to bring a conclusion to a lengthy negotiation process, which was hampered by the many budgetary restrictions that districts all over Pennsylvania are facing,” said Jacqueline “Jackie” Fenn, school board member and spokeswoman for the board’s negotiations committee. “The agreement we have reached is fiscally responsible given these restrictions, provides fair salary increases and benefits for our teachers, and places (the district) in excellent position to provide cutting-edge educational options for our students.”

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The contract was founded upon a state-appointed fact-finder’s report that was distributed to both the school board and the association on Jan. 28, and although it was accepted by the school board in an 8-1 vote, it was ultimately rejected by union membership on Feb. 5.

The contract, which will last from Sept. 1, 2011 to Aug. 31, 2015, will include the highlights regarding salary, insurance, tuition reimbursement and job security.

The plan indicates that the salary freeze for 2011-12 will be maintained, followed by a retroactive salary increase of 2.95 percent for 2012-13, an increase of 3.20 percent for 2013-14, and a salary increase of 3.30 percent for 2014-15. All increases will include increments regarding salary position placement.

Under the plan, the average teacher would earn $71,930 by the end of the contract. Overall, even if a member does not increase their placement on the salary scale through earning a graduate, master’s, or doctorate degree, this would result in an overall 9.45 percent salary increase.

Under the new agreement, insurance offerings include:

• Personal Choice 10/20/70 (Option 1 plan) through the 2013-2014 school year, with the district funding 90 percent in 2012-13, and 88 percent in 2013-14. Option 1 will be eliminated as of June 30, 2014.

• Personal Choice 20/30/70 (Option 2) will continue to be offered to union members, with the district funding 97 percent in 2012-13, 96 percent in 2013-14, and 95 percent in 2014-15.

• Personal Choice 320 Plan (Option 3) will be made available to union members in 2013-14.The district will fund 98 percent of it in its inaugural year and 97 percent in 2014-15.

The new agreement dictates that the district will reimburse 75 percent toward permanent certification or a master’s degree program. Credits will be limited to 12 per year for teachers, and 18 per year for those on sabbatical leave.

A cap of $750,000 per year for tuition reimbursement will be effective as of Sept. 1, 2014. Should there be remaining reimbursement dollars in a given year, meaning that the cap has not been reached, the remainder of the fund would be used to reimburse on a first-come, first-served basis for coursework beyond the permanent certification or master’s degree program.

The sides also agreed that the district has the right to promote, offer and implement online instruction, with the classes provided by district teachers or instructors from other sources, at its discretion. The district will also provide training as it deems appropriate for any teacher selected to teach such courses.